Explosive device



` June 25, 1946. i N. M. HOPKINS EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Filed March 7, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Julie 25, 1946.

N. M. HOPKINS EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Filed March '7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 u nn --1-I-I-.i---lilik, m ..I

June 25, 1946. N. M. HOPKINS I EXPLosIvE DEVICE Filed March 7, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INV ENTOR Patented June 25, 1946 ExrLosivE DEVICE NevilMonroe Hopkins, New York, N. Y.; Raymonde B. Hopkins, executor of saidNevil Monroe Hopkins deceased, assigner, by mesne assignments, t'oRaymonde Briggs Hopkins,

Samuel Lloyd, and Murray trustees T. Quigg, as

Application March 7, 1942, Serial No. 433,816 I 8 Claims. l

This invention pertains to explosive devices such as artillery shellsand the like for military and naval purposes and in improvements inexplosive fillers therefor.

Itis anobject of this invention to produce new military and navalweapons, using safer, more quickly produced, cheaper, and yet morepowerful explosive iillersthan TNT.

It is a particular object of this invention to produce a liquid highexplosive, just prior toY or Y at theA instant of use, through thecorrect admixture with proper time factor of suitable liquid componentparts of said liquid high explosive.

It is a particular object also of this invention to produce safely, andto safely use, in both summer and winter temperatures, a high explosivein liquid form, which is more powerful than the solid explosives now inuse.

Withthe foregoing enumerated objects-in view as well as certain otherobjects which will become apparent as the description proceeds and theillustrations arel studied, the invention consists in the novel parts,combinations of parts and admixtures, solutions and. mutual solutions ofsubstances in association'therewith, scientific principles and methods,all as hereinafter set forth and particularly covered by the claims..

Referring to the accompanying diagrams forming a part of thisspecification, and in which like numerals designate like parts in allthe views,

Fig, l represents a view in partial section through a conventionaldesign of high explosive shell containing a solid high. explosive ller;

Fig. 2 represents a View in partial section through one design ofapplicants high explosive shell comprising relatively thicker walls thanthose disclosed in Fig. 1, and containing a liquid high explosivefiller;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating another design ofapplicants high explosive shell with liquid high explosive ller therein;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken as on the line a-b of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one design of the innerchamber shownA in Fig. 3, with the opposite ends of said chamber inopened position;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the chamber shown in Fig, 5 but withthe opposite ends in closed position;

Fig. 7 represents in section another design of one of'applicants highexplosive shells with liquid filler;

Fig. 8.is a view similar to Fig. '7 but illustrating a modicationthereof.

It is understoody o f course that the foregoing enumerated illustrationsare not by any means precisely proportioned, and therefore they are notworking drawings. They do, however, illustrate the principles involved,leaving the practical designs open to modification and/or `elaborationin certain of the. dimensions, particularly with regard to the relativeproportions or volumes of the inner chambersr containing the liquidingredients of the high explosive ultimate admixture, the suchingredients being for example nitrogen peroxide in one chamber and aliquid hydrocarbonV in the other chamber. The precise relative volume ofthe liquid nitrogen peroxide to the liquid hydrocarbon is to bedetermined by sensitivity requirements which may vary con- Sider-ably.These sensitivity requirements may be met by impact or percussion tests.

Referring to Fig. 1v there is shown at l5 the cylindrical Wall of anartillery shell fashioned to give proper density and stability in flightwhen the shell is iilled with a solid or cast-in explosive indicated atI6 and such as tri-nitrotoluene (TNT), ll beingthe head of the shell andcontaining. a conventional contact or time fuse and safety arming deviceI8 representing` a cavity containing a booster charge I9 held inposition by the partition 20.

In Fig.. 2 there is illustrated a shell similar to that shown in Fig. 1,but 2l is the cylindrical wall of this device which may be for examplean artillery shell adapted for use with muzzle velocities below 2500feet per second, and fashioned to give proper density and stability inflight when filled with a liquid poured-in explosive designated by thenumeral 22 and such as an admixture of liquid nitrogen peroxide andbenzene in suitable proportions to withstand the force of set back at amuzzle velocity of 2500 feet per second. It is specifically pointed outin this connection, that the wall 2| of this shell has been increased inthickness over the Wall I5 of the shell shown in Fig. 1', and has beencarefully calculated to compensate not only for the lighter weight ofthe liquid iiller over solid TNT but also for the lack of gyroscopicforce of a liquid filler, as compared with a solid or cast-in explosivesuch as TNT. This new shell, therefore, may be adjusted to have at leastthe same density and stability in flight as a shell containing a solidfiller, notwithstanding a diierence in the specific -gravities of thesolid explosive filler and the liquid explosive ller, respectively.Technicians versed in the aerodynamics of a spinning shell in. nightwill fully appreciate that one of applicants shells may be so adjustedmechanically, i. e. designed and/or fabricated, with its liquidexplosive as to be interchangeably used and/or fired, from the same gunand under the established range table for that gun, with respect toasimilar shell of the usual construction and having a solid or castinexplosive filler. left unfilled so as to serve as an expansion chamber,and the partition 20 is perforated to'receive, with a gas and liquidtight t, the detonator tube 23.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated an artillery shell such as used withanti-aircraft' guns, fashioned to be fired with a. higher muzzlevelocity than given to the shell shown in Fig. 2, a muzzle velocity forexample of from 2500 to `3500 feet per second or over, Where acompletely mixed liquid explosive, using liquid nitrogen peroxide andbenzene in the most sensitive and powerful proportions, would not standthe force of set back at firing without danger of detonation in the gun.`In the present case for not vonly using admixtures or mutual solutionsof liquid nitrogen peroxide and benzene, but for certain other liquidsconducive to producing high explosives when brought together, I electtointroduce an inner chamber 43 of metal such as aluminum or steel forexample, the lower, portion 44 of suchl chamber being enlarged indiameter and having lateral openings 41, the extreme lower end of thechamber being provided with a semi-ball-bearing member `or knob 45fashioned to center and t support the inner chamber by `resting with .aminimum of friction in the semispherical bearing46 provided in the.bottom wall of the shell.

Centrally positioned within the enlarged lower portion of this tubularchamber 43, is the bevelled.v

disk orclosure member V48 carrying the upwardly projecting ears 49 and aboss 5B, said bossdrilled and threaded (as with a right hand thread) toreceive .alike threaded'end of the metal rod or shaft l which carries arigidly attached impellerv device 52.

The other end of this metal rodor shaft 5iy is oppositely threaded (asYwith a Vleft hand thread)A to engage a like threaded opening through theboss 53 of another and somewhat similar bevelled disk or closure ,member54 carryingV similar rupwardly projecting ears 55, the ears 49 and 55 ofthese two closure members beingr relatively thin and radially positionedon .said closures, thereby cooperating with the liquid explosiveingredients to thwart rotary or turning movement of the closures exceptwhen said liquid ingredients have circular motion imparted thereto.Rigidly attachedjto the outside of the`inner chamber 43 is the spacingcollar 56 carrying downwardly projecting and radially positioned ears 51also cooperating in a similar manner with the liquid ingredient intheouter chamber. After passing through the threaded boss 53, the shaft 5Iis screwed into and soldered or otherwise rigidly fixed to the member 58and thereby prevented from turning independently thereof. Surround ingthe member 58 is a slotted collar 59 free to revolve through a limitednumber of angular degrees, as controlled by the pin 65 securely screwedinto and soldered to Vthe member 58, the ends ofr the vslotway Bl insaid collar colliding with said pin as an arrest of circular movement.The collarV 59 is firmly attached by pins,.as indicated, to thepartition 20, and said partition is so close fitting as to besubstantially fixed to the shell head' I 1. A recess shown by dottedlines in the member 58 receives 1an end of the detonator casing Thecavity I8 is retained but with a loose nt, thereby acting as a centeringpivot for said member.

Within the inner chamber 43 is a component Y dient B6 of a liquidexplosive, at least one of these components being relatively insensitiveto explof sion but the admixture of these two liquid com ponents forminga highly sensitive explosive mixture. Y Y

.When this design and construction of shell, Withthe component liquidsas illustrated, is red from a rifled gun barrel, the rotation of theshell suddenly communicates rotation to the shaft 5| by virtue of itsrigid attachment to the slotted collar 55 and this rotation of the shaftby virtue of the left and right hand threaded shaftends causes thebevelled disks or closure membersV 48 and 54 to open the opposite endsof the inner chamber 43, the upwardly extending ears of these closuredisks acting hydraulically Vwith the re. spective liquid component partsof the potential 1 liquid explosive mixture and tending to prevent theturning of the disks, 4and in similar manner the downwardly projectingears 51 of the spacer collar rigidly attached to the outside of saidmember, tend to prevent rotation of said chamber..

Because of the hydrostatic action of the column t Coming now to Fig. 7,there is illustrated a' somewhat diiierent design of artillery shellwith expansion chamber and detonator, the thickness of the cylindricalwall being adjusted for a liquid explosive ller 10, said filler beingsufficiently insensitive as to explosion to safely withstand the forcesof acceleration Without detonation at the muzzle velocitiescontemplated. In this modification of construction, 1| is a metalchamberV closed at one end by the plug 12 of the shell head '16, andclosed at its opposite end by the bottomV wall 1.3 of said chamber, theside Walls being provided with lateral openings such as 1 4. Thedetonator generally identified by the numeral 15 is surroundedcompletelyas shown, and is connected in any suitable manner to aconventional fuse mechanism in the shell head 16 not illustrated sincethese elements of a shell are well understood. By providing the lateralopenings. 14, the outer chamber or shell proper may be completely filledor substantially completely iilled with the liquid explosive filler4 10,and then the higher muzzle velocities where the setback shockk uponfiring the projectile from a gun, isV greater,

and is particularly adapted where the admixture of liquid compo-nentparts. of a liquid explosive is desirable after the departure of theshell from thev gun and prior' to impact of the shell upon the target,thereby combining somewhat the features of the construction shown inFig, 3'. In other words an impelier device 'il is carried by andexternally of the chamber "il, and fashioned to force a circulation ofthe liquid contents of the shell by the rapid revolution o spinningshell about its major axis in flight. Another inner chamber F8 isfashioned and centrally supported in very much the same manner as that'shown in Fig. 3, with a collar 55 cut so as to provide bendableradially extending venes 5E asv clearly shown, the purpose of thisconstruction of collar and vanes being so that the vanes can be bentoutwardly into radial positions from the tubular body portion of thecollar, after the insertion of the chamber '8 in the shell. Otherwisethe inner chamber 'la and its associated parts, is a substantialduplicate of the inner chamber 63 of Fig. 3'.

The present inventor has devoted many years to the study of liquidnitrogen per-oxide in connection with one or more combustible bodies andhas fashioned innumerable containers therefor' in the form of missilesand other naval and military devices such as submarine mines and earthmines, as well as in the form of industrial containers, and has testedin the laboratory on a large scale in the lield the correctness thcprinciples involved.

Many of these devices depend upon the applicants teaching of convertinga relatively insensitive and relatively low power liquid explosive orexplosive ingredient into a relatively sensitive and relatively highpower liquid explosive on the one hand, and several oi them on the otherhand lend themselves to making a mixture of liquid nitrogen peroxidewith a liquid combi: :le body, such as benzol, just prior to or at thetime oi use.

The fundamental principle as illustrated and described herein resides inthe novel plan and teaching of completely surrounding a chambercontaining liquid nitrogen peroxide with either a liquid combustiblebody or a mixture of one or more liquid combustible bodies with nitrogenperoxide. rihis arrangement is of vital importance in many instancessince it allows of fashioning a 'scientically designed leak-proofsystem. This leak-proof system according to such structure embodies aliquid hydrocarbon completely surrounding the chamber containing theliquid nitrogen peroxide, said liquid hydrocarbon possessing a highervapor pressure than the said liquid nitrogen peroxide. With this vapor,and consequently this hydrostatic system, it im possible for the liquidnitrogen peroxide to leak outwardly into the liquidhydrocarbon. If thevapor pressure of the liquid hydrocarbon is so adjusted as to be onlysilghtly greater than that of the liquid nitrogen peroxide, then only anegligible quantity of the liquid hydrocarbon could enter into the innerchamber because a hydrostatic balance would quickly be attained therein.

The teachings in this application furthermore cover the practical use ina satisfactory manner of a liquid explosive filler in an artilleryshell, said shell fashioned to be red spinning from a riiied gun andhaving the thickness of its cylindrical Wall increased with respect tothe thickness of the wall of a comparable shel1 provided with a solid orcast-in filler. It is desired emphasized that this invention provides amissile or 6 explosive device which is considerably safer to handle andstore yet more powerful in detonation, than those heretofore devised'.That is to say, this invention covers the use of a liquidy mixture whichis highly sensitive to explosion and exceedingly powerful, more powerfulthan T. N. T., said mixture comprising a proper proportion of nitrogenperoxide and a hydrocarbon such as benzene. However, upto the time ofactual use, this proper proportiony is non-existent. In other words, theproper and ultimate mixture of these ingredients is brought about at thetime of use, by supplying and mixing a certain quantity of the onerelatively insensitive ingredient to an incomplete (and thereforerelatively insensitive) mixture of the two ingredients, the suchadmixture adding the necessary quantity of the one ingredient to makethe ultimate mixture highly sensitive to explosion.

Emphasis is directed to the fact that the foregoing illustrations arenot actual working drauings wherefore it is possible to vary thedimensions, proportions, distributions of masses and materials asdictated by actual sensitivity requirements and tests. The foundations,however, have been laid for the fabrication of highly practicalmissiles. Whereas, the invention has been illustrated by diagram anddescription and there has been described novel methods as well as novelways and means of fashioning the various devices, it is possible thatthose skilled in the arts and in the sciences involved, may further varythe methods, ways and means as well as develop new devices withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention, and it is therefore desirednot to be limited to the foregoing disclosure and' teachings except asmay be calledlor by the claims.

What is claimed is:

l.. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in night,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellhaving two chambers therein, one chamber movable with respect to theother chamber, a liquid explosive ingredient in each chamber, oneingredient having a relatively low sensitivity to explosion but theadmixture of the two ingredients having a relatively high sensitivity toexplosion, means carried by one of said chambers and immobile withrespect thereto for opening the other relatively movable chamber andcausing the two ingredients to admix, means for exploding the admixture,the outer wall of said shell having a thickness diierent from thethickness of the corresponding wall of such missile and in compensatingproportion to the difference in weight between the mass of explosiveadmixture and the mass of solid explosive.

2'. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in night,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellcomprising a casing and a liquid therein, a closed chamber containing asecond liquid and disposed within the liquid in said casing, the twoliquids when admixed forming a highly sensitive explosive mixture,chamberopening means actuated during the flight of said shell, saidmeans provided with an impeller establishing an admixing circuit throughsaid chamber and said casing of the two liquids upon opening of saidchamber, said shell having the thickness of its wall increased over thatof the corresponding wall of such missile thereby to provide additionalweight of metal to Vcompensate for the difference in Weight between themass of liquid explosive and the mass of solid explosive.

3. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in night,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellcomprising a casing anda liquid therein, a closed chamber containing asecond liquid and disposed within the liquid in said casing, the twoliquids when' admixed forming a highlysensitive explosive mixture,chamberopening means actuated solely by the rotary motion of the shellin flight, said means provided with an impeller establishing an admixingcircuit through said chamber and said casing of the two liquids uponopening of said chamber, said shell having the thickness of its wallincreased over that of the corresponding wall of such missile thereby toprovide additional weight of metal to compensate for the difference inweight between the mass of liquid explosive and the mass of solidexplosive.

4. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in flight,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellcomprising an outer metallic casing and a closed inner chamber, thewalls of said chamber being in spaced relation to the walls of saidcasing, one liquid in said casing and a different liquid in saidchamber, the two liquids when admixed forming a highly sensitiveexplosive mixture, means actuated during the iiight of said shell foropening said chamber, said means provided with an impeller establishingan admixing circuit of the two liquids through the space between thewalls of said casing and said chamber upon opening of said chamber, saidshell having the thickness of its wall increased over that of thecorresponding wall of such missile thereby to provide additional weightof metal to compensate for the difference in weight between the mass ofliquid explosive and the mass of solid explosive.

5. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in flight,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellcomprising a casing and a liquid therein, a closed chamber containing asecond liquid and disposed within the liquid in said casing, the twoliquids when admixed forming a highly sensitive explosive mixture,chamberopening means actuated during the flight of said shell, saidmeans extending through said chamber and provided with an impellerestablishing, together with the walls of said chamber, an admixingcircuit through said chamber and said casing of the two liquids uponopening of said chamber, said shell having the thickness of its wallincreased over that of the corresponding-wall of such missile thereby toprovide additional weight of metal to Ycompensate for the difference inweight between the mass of liquid explosive and the mass of solidexplosive.

6. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in iiight,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, said shellcomprising a casing and a liquid therein, a container within said casingand provided at opposite ends with movable closures normally in closedposition, a diierent liquid within the closed container, the two liquidswhen admixed forming a highly sensitive explosive, and means carried bysaid casing causing movement of said closures into container-openingpositions, said means extending into said container and provided with amember producing circulation and admixture of the two liquids throughsaid container and said casing upon opening of said container,said'shell having the thickness of its wall increased over that of thecorresponding wall of such missile thereby to provide additional weightof metal to compensate for the dierence in weight between the mass ofliquid explosive and the mass of solid explosive.

7. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in flight,and comparable substantially equally as to dimensions and trajectory tothe present-day similar missile containing a solid explosive, saidshellV comprising a casing and a liquid explosive ingredient therein, acontainer within said casing and provided at opposite ends with movableclosures normally in closed position, a diierent liquid explosiveingredient Within the closed container, and means carried by said casingand immobile with respect thereto causing movement of saidclosures intocontainer-opening positions, said means extending into said containerand provided with a member producing circulation ofthe two liquidsthrough said container and said casing upon opening of said containerthereby to produce an explosive admixture, said shell having thethickness of its wall in-V creased over that of theV corresponding wallof such missile thereby to provide additional weight of metal tocompensate for the diierence in weight between the mass of liquidexplosive and the mass of solid explosive.

8. A shell adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in ight,and comparable substan-V tially equally as t0 dimensions and trajectoryto the' present-day similarV missile containing a solid explosive, saidshell comprising a casing and a liquid therein, a closed chambercontaining a second liquid and disposed within the liquid in saidcasing, the two liquids when admixed forming a highly sensitiveexplosive mixture, chamber opening means actuated by a rotary motionimparted to said casing, said shell having the thickness of its wallincreased over that oi?A the corresponding wall of such missile therebyto provide additional weight of metal to compensate for the differencein weight between the mass of liquid explosive -and the mass of solidexplosive.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS.

